After settling into the inn, we all went to sleep, exhausted from the busy day. Although we shared the same room, nothing really happened during the night. The next day, we woke up early, had breakfast, and prepared for the day. Initially, my plan was to find the dungeon as quickly as possible.

Since the girls were curious about the new realm, I suggested they explore freely. We agreed to meet again at the inn later. Saemi and Ana went to try local foods, while Fujiwara and Aoi decided to shop for new clothes.

As the girls pursued their own interests, I decided to explore the realm on my own. I wandered through the streets, marveling at the diversity of Demi-humans inhabiting the place. However, there were a few species that seemed to be absent, no matter where I looked.

Lion, wolf, tiger, and jaguar. For some reason, I couldn't spot any Demi-human who shared characteristics with these species. My first assumption was that these races might be relatively rare. However, my second thought was that these species might have some special connection to Anima's royalty.

If it were the latter case, it would probably be challenging to find these species, as the chances of interacting with royalty in Anima are extremely low. My encounter with Sylvia in Arclight was nothing more than a coincidence; her carriage was being attacked exactly when we were passing through that area.

I sincerely doubted that a coincidence like that could happen twice in a row. While these thoughts crossed my mind, a certain noise caught my attention. Beside me, there was a relatively narrow alley that nevertheless seemed passable. Though I didn't know exactly where it would lead, I could hear a kind of noise coming from further down the alley.

(... Since I'm exploring the city, I guess it doesn't hurt to investigate a little further, does it?)

With that thought in mind, I entered the alley and walked straight ahead. To my surprise, the alley wasn't as narrow as I imagined, allowing me to walk normally. As I advanced, the sound grew louder, becoming clearer and more defined. In the distance, I could clearly distinguish the origin of the noise.

(It seems like someone is fighting)

With that thought in mind, I continued to advance silently. When I reached the open part of the alley, I peeked from a strategic point to observe the scene in front of me. My curiosity was as strong as my caution, so I stayed in the shadows, carefully watching what was happening before deciding to act.

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(Shade, do you have any magic that can make me invisible to others?)

As soon as I asked that question, Shade's voice echoed in my mind with a touch of joy.

(Of course, my king)

While Shade's words were transmitted, I felt something strange happening around me, as if I and the shadows were perfectly in tune. Looking at my hand, I realized that my arm had become transparent.

(As long as you stay in the shadows, no one will be able to notice you, my king)

Said Shade proudly in his voice. After that, I continued to move slowly until I reached the end of the alley. A relatively large area stretched out before me, but what surprised me the most was not the size, but the various cages containing boys and girls of various races, all appearing to be under ten years old.

(My king, it seems there is a barrier around this area)

Upon hearing this, all my doubts were dispelled. How could they hide this in broad daylight? Although it didn't make sense to me, when there's someone who can use magic at play, everything fits together more understandably.

As I stepped out of the alley and into the more open area, I finally gained a clearer view of what was happening. Of course, I still remained in the shadows to hide properly.

There were some men wielding swords and bows, all of them fighting against someone wearing a black overcoat, completely covering their appearance. The person also wore a hood, making it nearly impossible to distinguish whether they were a man or a woman, but there was only one thing I was sure of.

(Strong)

As I watched the scene before me, that was the only thought that passed through my mind. The person fighting the men was delivering blow after blow, making the armed men fly. Although the movements at first glance seemed simple, for some reason, they contained unbelievable strength.

The strength I was witnessing in front of me was astounding; even Baji couldn't exert that much force. However, I found it a bit odd that she was using only her fists. This led me to the conclusion that perhaps this person was not capable of using magic.

Except for us who were brought to this world and blessed by the gods, there was only one race I knew of that couldn't use magic: the Demi-humans.

I continued to observe the unfolding scene for some time. For starters, it didn't seem like the person who was fighting needed help, and just as I expected, she dealt a blow to a man wielding two daggers, causing him to faint.

Soon after, she advanced slowly toward the mage who was positioned at the very back. The mage cast various spells in her direction, such as fire, water, and wind attacks, but all the attacks were easily repelled.

This was clearly due to the fact that, although they couldn't use magic, Demi-humans have an absurd resistance to spells. In no time, the mage was also on the ground totally unconscious. Seeing that the fight was over, the person slowly took off the hood, revealing her face.

Although I didn't know the exact gender of the person, initially, I thought it was a man. However, as soon as the hood was removed, I was certain it was a girl. But what surprised me the most were the slowly swaying jaguar ears.